A day after defying world opinion and test-firing seven missiles, the North Korean government promised Thursday to "continue with missile launch drills" and threatened to "take stronger physical actions" against anyone who tried to stop the missile tests.

That North Korea is or will soon be on the verge of collapse is a cherished hope in influential White House circles. But here at the biggest trading point between China and North Korea, few believe that will happen.

Closing a curious chapter of Korean War history, the Pentagon announced Friday it had identified the remains of an Air Force pilot whose jet crashed on Chinese territory after being shot down during a dogfight with a Russian flying for North Korea.